OUTSTANDING PLAYER: GIRLS SWIMMING
WHY SHE WON:
As the inaugural recipient of the 2017 All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Year in Girls Swimming, Bentonville High School senior swim/dive team captain Taylor Pike has made a splash in the swimming world because of her commitment to the sport and its demanding training process. “I was very excited when I found out I won this award,” she said. “I think the most important qualities that any great athlete needs to succeed are the will to work hard and a passion for your sport. I work hard each and every day … to be successful, and I know that all this effort pays off.” Pike is completing her Bentonville career with four state championships. In 2015, Pike set the state record in the girls 200-meter freestyle with a time of 1 minute, 51.45 seconds. This year, she broke the state record in the 100-meter freestyle and helped the Lady Tigers break a state record in the 400-meter freestyle relay. She also picked up titles in the 100-meter butterfly (0:54.11) and 500-meter freestyle (4:49.29). She is ranked 14th in the nation in the 500-meter freestyle and 25th in the 100-meter butterfly. In addition, she is a member of the USA Swimming national team, and she was a semifinalist in the women’s 200-meter butterfly during the 2016 United States Olympic Trials. “I think Taylor perfectly represents her sport as the inaugural award recipient, and I’m so incredibly proud of her for achieving such an honor,” said her mother, Kim Pike. A competitive swimmer since age 3, Taylor followed in the footsteps of her mother, uncle and two aunts, who swam in college. Taylor has trained twice a day since age 13, and she trains 24 hours most weeks throughout the year, swimming upward of 40 miles per week. At 5-3, Taylor has worked especially hard to hold her own against the big, tall athletes who dominate the sport, Kim said. “Seeing Taylor win this award is a real thrill and a very special honor for her,” said Nick Nersesian, Bentonville’s head swim/dive coach. “This award is a testament to her commitment to the sport.” In the fall, Taylor will continue her swimming career at Texas A&M University. “She has developed into a fierce competitor who will make a name for herself at the collegiate level,” Kim said. “There is no doubt that Taylor has developed the swimming, training and character fundamentals to succeed at the next level in her sport.”
I am so honored and excited to receive this award. I am very pleased to know that all of my hard work has paid off.”